Uranium Wars: The Scientific Rivalry That Created the Nuclear Age

From nuclear programs in the Middle East to plans for nuclear reactors at home, the element uranium is never far from the headlines. How does uranium deliver the immense power of a nuclear bomb or the slow deadly effect of radiation? In this riveting account, bestselling author of Fermat's Last Theorem, Amir Aczel introduces the history of the mysterious metal and recounts how famous scientists worked to uncover its potential. This is a lively history of the physicists who first isolated the element, learned its properties, and marshalled its explosive power. He also explores what drove so many of last century's geniuses to willingfully collaborate on a project to kill thousands of people? And how did a simple element like uranium show scientists the way to create a deadly bomb that would irrevocably change the course of history and continue to shape global politics.

Table of Contents:
Preface: The Blinding Light Physics and Uranium On the Trail of the Nucleus The Draw of Radioactivity The Meitner-Hahn Discovery Enrico Fermi The Rome Experiments The Events of 1938 That Christmas The Heisenberg Menace Chain Reaction Copenhagen Truth Building the Bomb Decision to Use the Bomb The Spying Operation The Cold War Uranium's Future

About the Author :
AMIR D. ACZEL is the author of fourteen books, including The Riddle of the Compass, The Mystery of Aleph and the bestseller Fermat's Last Theorem. He has also written for The Times, The Guardian and The Independent and has been interviewed on the BBC. An internationally known writer of mathematics and science, he was descibed by Publishers Weekly as 'one of our best science popularizers'. He lives near Boston, USA.

Review :
'A fascinating story of discovery, intrigue, clash of egos, spying, and international conflict. Nothing shaped 20th century geopolitics to the same extent as the detonation of the first nuclear bomb. The ramifications are still with us with rogue states and terrorists seeking to acquire nuclear capability. Aczel tells this amazing story in a racy and accessible style - with authority but lightness-of-touch to hold the reader spell-bound.' - David Clark, Author of Newton's Tyranny and The Quest for SS433